As the 2024 NFL draft approaches, it seems inevitable that the Chicago Bears will move on from quarterback Justin Fields and select USC Trojans prospect Caleb Williams, which has prompted trade talks centering around Justin Fields and several other NFL teams like the Las Vegas Raiders, Atlanta Falcons and Pittsburgh Steelers.
Most recently, the idea of the Las Vegas Raiders making a move for Justin Fields has gained steam. The Raiders have a “genuine” interest in fields and GM Tom Telesco wants a big-name QB, according to Tony Pauline of SportsKeeda.
The Las Vegas Raiders joined the Atlanta Falcons and the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Justin Fields sweepstakes
Justin Fields personally unfollowed the Chicago Bears on Instagram. In the same move, he followed several Atlanta Falcons stars such as running back Bijan Robinson, wide receiver Drake London and tight end Kyle Pitts.
The Falcons overtook the Steelers as the odds-on favorites to land Fields this offseason. The Steelers still have the second-best odds to land Fields, but talks of Denver Broncos QB Russell Wilson have caused their odds to drop.
The Pittsburgh Steelers and head coach Mike Tomlin are looking to add competition for their current QB Kenny Pickett. Tomlin told The Athletic that competition should help improve Pickett at the very least.
“There will be competition,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said last month. “There’s always competition in this thing. We don’t anoint anyone. (Pickett) will be challenged from a competition perspective moving forward. Competition brings the best out in all of us.”
Justin Fields has shown more improvement than Kenny Pickett in his short time as the QB for the Chicago Bears. If he doesn’t spark improvement from Pickett, he could become a more than viable option for the Steelers starting signal caller.
Fields threw for nearly 500 yards more than Pickett in 2023, despite playing in just one more game. His 16 passing touchdowns in 2023 are more than Pickett has thrown in his entire career. Fields also adds a rushing upside that Pickett does not have as he ran for 1,143 yards in 2022.
One thing Pickett has over Fields is an ability to take care of the ball. Fields has thrown at least nine interceptions in every year that he has played, while Pickett dropped his interception count to four in 2023. Fields also has 16 fumbles in his career, and a methodical defensive team like the Steelers cannot afford a high rate of turnovers.
The Las Vegas Raiders could use Chicago Bears QB Justin Fields
The current highest-paid QB on the Las Vegas Raiders roster is Jimmy Garoppolo, who was the first choice of now-fired head coach Josh McDaniels. Following the departure of McDaniels, interim and now full-time head coach Antonio Pierce went with former Purdue Boilermakers QB Aidan O’Connell.
While O’Connell was able to lead the Las Vegas Raiders past the eventual Super Bowl champions in the Kansas City Chiefs, he did so with just 62 yards on single-digit completions with a 42.9% completion rate.
O’Connell had his best game of the season vs the Chiefs.
Here are some of his best throws. The last one to Renfrow is underrated. pic.twitter.com/vhbz7YxMH3
— Marcus Johnson (@TheMarcJohnNFL) November 28, 2023
O’Connell was serviceable for the Las Vegas Raiders with over 2,200 yards passing and 12 touchdowns to seven interceptions in an abbreviated 2023 season.
Justin Fields proved he has a significant rushing upside during his time with the Chicago Bears which could add another dynamic to the Las Vegas Raiders offense in Pierce’s first full year as the head coach.
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2 Comments
O.C. got hired after being fired for not doing well with Fields. Explain to me in more layman’s terms of how Fields to Las Vegas would make sense?
I can’t see it either. Fields poor performance got Getsy fired, in Chicago.